ESL Party Vocabulary

A big part of traveling is meeting people and having fun. This ESL party vocabulary will help you when you need to go with your new friends and have fun at a party. By learning and remembering all this vocabulary you will be in a good position to really have fun when you live, study or work in another country.

This ESL party vocabulary page has lots of words that you can use to talk about parties.

This page first starts with an ESL party vocabulary list that has definitions of the words and the part of speech that they are. If possible make an effort to learn as many of the words as you can. You can use the flashcards that follow the ESL party vocabulary list to help you learn the items. The picture flashcards can be downloaded for you to use anywhere. Then there is a recording of the words being spoken by a native English speaker so that you can hear the correct pronunciation of the words.

Then at the end of the page there are the following three exercises for you to do that will test how well you have learnt the ESL party vocabulary words:

  • Identify the correct definition of a word.
  • Identify the correct word that matches a definition.
  • Identify the correct word that matches a picture.

ESL Party Vocabulary list with Definition

The following is the ESL party vocabulary list. It has each word defined, and the part of speech is also indicated. You can either use this as a reference source by coming back here to look up words or by trying to learn all the words first. The list is followed by some flashcards that you can download to use anywhere to learn the words. Then after that there is a recording of the ESL party vocabulary being pronounced by a native English speaker so you can hear the correct way to say the words.

After party: A party after an event such as a concert or theatre performance. (noun)
All-nighter: An activity that goes the whole night, especially a party. (noun)
Attend: To go to an event or party. (verb)
Baby shower: A party for a woman who is expecting a baby, at which party guests give presents for the baby. (noun)
Bachelor party: A party that a man has with his male friends on the night before his wedding (American English) (same as stag night). (noun)
Balloon: An object made of thin rubber and filled with air, usually used as decoration for parties. (noun)
Banner: A long piece of material with a message written on it. (noun)
Bash: A party or celebration. (noun)
Barbecue party: An outdoor party where people cook and eat barbecued food. (noun)
Birthday party: A party held to celebrate the anniversary of your birth. (noun)
Booze-up: A party where people can usually drink a lot of alcohol. (noun)
Bouquet: An arrangement of flowers wrapped in paper. (noun)
Bridal shower: A party for a woman who is going to get married, at which she gets presents from the guests. (noun)
Candy: A small sweet food made from sugar or chocolate (American English) (same as sweet). (noun)
Cancel: To decide that an event or party that was planned will not happen. (verb)
Cake: A sweet food made by baking a mixture of flour, butter, sugar and eggs. (noun)
Candle: A stick of wax, often put on a birthday cake. (noun)
Caterer: A person or company who is responsible for providing and serving food and drinks at a party. (noun)
Celebrate: To do something special and enjoyable to mark an important occasion or event. (verb)
Celebration: A special occasion or party at which you celebrate something. (noun)
Christmas party: A party to celebrate Christmas. (noun)
Clambake: An outdoor party by the sea where people cook and eat clams. (noun)
Cocktail party: A formal party in the early evening where guests are served alcoholic drinks and small meals. (noun)
Confetti: Small pieces of colored paper that people throw in the air at wedding parties, parades, etc. (noun)
Cookie: A small flat sweet biscuit. (noun)
Costume: A set of clothes that you wear to make you look like something, such as an animal, movie character, etc. (noun)
Costume party: A party where people wear certain clothes to look like a famous person, a character in a story, etc. (American English) (same as fancy dress party) (noun)
Culinary: Relating to cooking or food. (adjective)
Cupcake: A small cake baked in a paper cup. (noun)
Decorate: To make something look more attractive by putting things on it such as flowers or balloons. (verb)
Decoration: Something nice that you put on an object to make it more attractive. (noun)
Dinner party: A social event at which a small group of people have an evening meal. (noun)
Drinks party: A formal party where people mainly talk and are served alcoholic drinks. (noun)
Entertainer: A person whose job is to entertain people by telling jokes, singing or dancing. (noun)
Entertainment: Things such as films, music, shows, etc. that are intended to entertain people. (noun)
Fancy dress party: A party where people wear certain clothes to look like a famous person, a character in a story, etc. (British English) (same as costume party). (noun)
Farewell party: A party to celebrate someone’s moving to another place after staying for a certain period of time (American English) (same as going-away party). (noun)
Father’s Day party: A party to celebrate father’s day, a day on which fatherhood is honored. (noun)
Feast: A large meal to celebrate a special occasion. (noun)
Garden party: A formal party in a large garden, usually in the afternoon. (noun)
Gift: A thing that you give to someone on a special occasion. (noun)
Gift wrap: Attractive colored or patterned paper used for wrapping gifts. (noun)
Glitter: Very small pieces of shiny paper or thin metal that are used as decoration. (noun)
Goody bag: A small bag that containing presents and sweets that is given to children at the end of a party. (noun)
Going-away party: A party to celebrate someone’s moving to another place after staying for a certain period of time (British English) (same as farewell party). (noun)
Graduation party: A party to celebrate graduation from school, college or university. (noun)
Greetings card: A card with a message on it that you give or send to someone on a special occasion such as birthday or wedding. (noun)
Guest: A person who is invited to a party or an event. (noun)
Halloween party: A party to celebrate Halloween night, the night of 31st October. (noun)
Hold: To organize an event or a party. (verb)
Housewarming: A party that you have in a house that that you have just moved into. (noun)
Icing: A mixture of sugar, water and butter that is used to decorate cakes. (noun)
Invite: To ask somebody to come to a social event such as a party, wedding, meal, etc. (verb)
Invitation: A spoken or written request to ask somebody to attend a social event. (noun)
Invitation card: A written request to attend an event or a party. (noun)
Join: To take part or go to a social event or to a party. (verb)
Joyful: Very happy; make people very happy. (adjective)
Joyous: Very happy; make people very happy. (adjective)
Mother’s Day party: A party to celebrate mother’s day, a day on which motherhood is honored. (noun)
New Year party: A party to celebrate the New Year that starts in the 31st of December and finishes on the 1st of January. (noun)
Occasion: A special event, ceremony or celebration. (noun)
Office party: A party for people who work in the office or a company, usually before Christmas. (noun)
Paper plate: A disposable plate made of stiff paper. (noun)
Party: A social event at which a group of people meet to celebrate something or to enjoy themselves by eating, drinking and doing fun things. (noun)
Party favor: A small gift or souvenir given as a gesture of thanks for attending a party. (noun)
Party game: A game that is usually played at a party. (noun)
Party hat: A colorful conical hat made of thin cardboard that people usually wear at a party. (noun)
Pool party: A party where the guests gather in or around a swimming pool. (noun)
Present: A thing that you give to someone on a special occasion. (noun)
Reception: A large formal party to celebrate a special event or to welcome someone. (noun)
Ribbon: A narrow strip of cloth or paper that can be used for party decoration. (noun)
RSVP: (from French ‘répondez s’il vous plaît’ and written on invitations) Please reply. (verb)
Sip and see party: A party at which new parents invite friends and family to see their newborn baby. (noun)
Slumber party: An occasion when a group of children stay the night at the house. (noun)
Sparkler: A type of small firework that you can hold in your hand. (noun)
Stag night: A party that a man has with his male friends on the night before his wedding (British English) (same as bachelor party). (noun)
Sweet: A small sweet food made from sugar or chocolate (British English) (same as candy). (noun)
Thank you note: A short letter to express gratitude for a gift or service. (noun)
Theme party: A party where the food, decorations and guests’ outfit are connected with a particular subject. (noun)
Throw a party: To organize a party, usually in your home. (verb)
Toast: To drink a glass of wine or other alcoholic drink to thank someone, wish someone luck or celebrate something. (verb)
Unwrap: To remove the paper that covers a gift. (verb)
Venue: A place where an event or party takes place. (noun)
Wedding party: A party which is organized after the wedding ceremony. (noun)
Welcome party: A party to welcome a newcomer such as a new employee or a new club member. (noun)
Wrap: To cover something with paper. (verb)
Wrapping paper: Decorative paper that is usually used for wrapping gifts. (noun)

Vocabulary Flashcards for Party Words

These flashcards have all the ESL party vocabulary items on them. You can download them by clicking on the picture or the following link and then use them at home or on the bus or anywhere.

ESL party vocabulary flashcards

Spoken Party Vocabulary

Below there are two recordings of the ESL party vocabulary being spoken by a native speaker. The first is a recording that you can just listen to, while the second is a video that you can watch and see the ESL party vocabulary flashcards at the same time as hearing the correct pronunciation. Listen several times until you know how to say all the words.





ESL Party Vocabulary Exercises

Exercise 1 – Correct Definition

In this first ESL party vocabulary exercise you need to choose which option (A-D) has the correct definition of the word that is given in the question. When you have answered all the questions you can use the get score link at the end to see the answers.

ESL Party Vocabulary Definitions


Choose the correct definition for the party vocabulary in this quiz.

1) What is the definition of Banner?
        A) A stick of wax, often put on a birthday cake.
        B) An object made of thin rubber and filled with air, usually used as decoration for parties.
        C) A long piece of material with a message written on it.
        D) An arrangement of flowers wrapped in paper.
2) What is the definition of Cupcake?
        A) A small cake baked in a paper cup.
        B) A social event at which a small group of people have an evening meal.
        C) Small pieces of colored paper that people throw in the air at wedding parties, parades, etc.
        D) A person or company who is responsible for providing and serving food and drinks at a party.
3) What is the definition of Fancy dress party?
        A) A party to celebrate graduation from school, college or university.
        B) A party where people wear certain clothes to look like a famous person, a character in a story, etc. (British English) (same as costume party)
        C) Things such as films, music, shows, etc. that are intended to entertain people.
        D) A large meal to celebrate a special occasion.
4) What is the definition of Invite?
        A) A card with a message on it that you give or send to someone on a special occasion such as birthday or wedding.
        B) A party that you have in a house that that you have just moved into.
        C) Very happy; make people very happy.
        D) To ask somebody to come to a social event such as a party, wedding, meal, etc.
5) What is the definition of Ribbon?
        A) A short letter to express gratitude for a gift or service.
        B) A large formal party to celebrate a special event or to welcome someone.
        C) A narrow strip of cloth or paper that can be used for party decoration.
        D) A game that is usually played at a party.

Score =

Correct answers:

Exercise 2 – Correct Meaning

For the second ESL party vocabulary exercise you need to choose the option (A-D) that has the word that matches the definition given in each question. Again you can use the get score button to see the correct answers.

ESL Party Vocabulary Identification of Meaning


Choose the word that matches the definition given in each of the five questions in this quiz.

1) What is the meaning of the following definition: To remove the paper that covers a gift?
        A) Unwrap
        B) Sparkler
        C) Slumber party
        D) Venue
2) What is the meaning of the following definition: A party for people who work in the office or a company, usually before Christmas?
        A) Invitation
        B) Occasion
        C) Office party
        D) Pool party
3) What is the meaning of the following definition: A small bag that containing presents and sweets that is given to children at the end of a party?
        A) Father’s day party
        B) Housewarming
        C) Gift wrap
        D) Goody bag
4) What is the meaning of the following definition: A formal party in the early evening where guests are served alcoholic drinks and small meals?
        A) Celebration
        B) Cocktail party
        C) Entertainer
        D) Costume party
5) What is the meaning of the following definition: A party held to celebrate the anniversary of your birth?
        A) After party
        B) Birthday party
        C) Cake
        D) Candy

Score =

Correct answers:

Exercise 3 – Identify Picture

The final ESL party vocabulary exercise has various words in each questions (options A-D) and you need to decide which word matches each of the pictures given below. Then when you have finished you can use the get score button to see the correct answers again. 

ESL Party Vocabulary Picture Descriptions


Identify the best description for each of the images (A-E) given above that correspond to the five questions in this quiz.

1) Which description best describes picture A given above?
        A) Mother’s day party
        B) Party hat
        C) Hold
        D) Gift
2) Which description best describes picture B given above?
        A) Drinks party
        B) Decorate
        C) Gift wrap
        D) Farewell party
3) Which description best describes picture C given above?
        A) Baby shower
        B) Celebrate
        C) Christmas party
        D) All-nighter
4) Which description best describes picture D given above?
        A) Thank you note
        B) Entertainer
        C) Stag night
        D) Wrapping paper
5) Which description best describes picture E given above?
        A) Candle
        B) New Year party
        C) Party favor
        D) Guest

Score =

Correct answers:



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